Ornament holder



July 7, 1936.

J. B. HEAD ORNAMENT HOLDER Filed Feb 12, 1934 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,046,781 ORNAMENT HOLDER J erita Blair-Head, San Francisco, Calif.

Application February 12, 1934, Serial No. 710,826

2 Claims. 7 (Cl. B L-261) The invention, in general, relates to means for suspending articles and more particularly pertains to devices for hanging ornaments from certain objects, such as Christmas trees and the like.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a device of the aforementioned character which afiords easy attachment and removal of ornaments held thereon to and from a tree.

A further object of the invention is to provide an ornament holder which can be inexpensively manufactured and marketed. V

A still'further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character mentioned which permits the suspension of one or more ornaments from a single device.

Another object of the invention is to provide an ornament holder which is characterized by its simple clamping action for ready attachment to a tree or other object and also by its novel arrangement for receiving and holding an ornament.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an ornament holder of the aforementioned character which overcomes to a large extent the danger of dropping of ornaments and consequent breakage thereof.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention are attained in the embodiments of my invention which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. While I have shown the preferred embodiment and two modifications of my invention in the drawing, it is to be understood that I am not to be limited to the embodiments illustrated, as my invention, as defined by the appended claims, can be embodied in a plurality and variety of forms without departing from the scope of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the embodiment i1- lustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan of a modified embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is an elevation of the modification of the invention which is shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an elevation of another modification of the invention; and

Figure 6 is a plan of the modified embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in Figure 5.

In its preferred form, the ornament holder of my invention preferably comprises clamping means, together with means for actuating said clamping means, and means for receiving and holding an object, such as an ornament, upon either said clamping means or said actuating means, or both.

In accordance with the invention, I preferably provide a length of spring wire l I, or its equivalent. In the modification of the invention illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing, fiat spring stock is utilized. The wire, or other spring material, is turned upon itself to provide a torsional coil l2 at one'end of the device which merges into a pair of angular members and a pair of parallel legs or jaws l3 and 14 in juxtaposion at the other end of the device to form the clamping means thereof. The coil l2 serves to actuate the jaws l3 and M for attaching and detaching the holder to and from a twig of a tree or other object. 1

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figuresl and 2 of the drawing, I provide means on one of the clamping jaws, preferably the lower disposed jaw M, for receiving and holdingithe ornament to be suspended. While this means may take the form of a loop, it also may be a simple indentation l6, as shown. To attach an ornament to the holder, the jaws l3 and M are merely spread apart by applying pressure to the coil l2 and the ring or other device usually provided upon the conventional ornament is then slipped over the jaw l4 and into place in the indentation l6 therein. By slipping the jaws l3 and M of the holder over a twig of the tree and releasing the pressure on the torsional spring l2, the holder is clamped to the tree and the ornament is thus readily suspended. In order to detach the ornament, it is merely necessary to compress the spring l2 and remove the holder and. then slip the ornament from its place thereon.

In Figures 3 and 4 of the drawing, I have illustrated a modified embodiment of my invention in which alternative means are provided for receiving and retaining an ornament or other objects on the holder. In this modification, the length of wire or equivalent material I l l is turned upon itself to form a torsional spring H2 at one end of the device which merges into a pair of angular members, clamping jaws H3 and H4 at the other end, as well as an indentation H6 in the jaw H4. This modification may also be provided with a loop H! which conveniently is formed in an extension of the wire leading from the spring H2. The ornament to be hung can be inserted in the indentation I I6 of the jaw I M or, if desired, in the loop H1. Of course, this modification of the device need not be formed with. the indentation H6 but merely have the loop H! for suspending the ornament or other object. It is apparent that if both the indentation H6 and the loop II! are provided in the holder that two ornaments can be hung from each holder, or if desired, one ornament and some other attractive substance such as lei or tin foil strips commonly employed to denote the presence of icicles.

Another modification of the invention is illus trated in Figures 5 and 6 of the drawing from which it will be observed that a length of flat spring stock is utilized. The length of stock is also turned upon itself to form a fiat spring H2 at one end of the device which serves as actuating means for a pair of scissor-like jaws H3 and 214. The lower disposed jaw 214 is provided with a loop or indentation 2I6 for receiving the conventional attaching ring carried by the stand-v ard type of ornament for Christmas trees.

From the foregoing description of the ornament holder of 'my invention and an inspection of the drawing, it will be observed that it is not necessary to detach the ornament from the holder when taking the ornaments down from the tree, it being merely necessary to spread the jaws of the device sufficiently to slip the holder from the twig. Moreover, the ornament need not be removed from the holder even after the same has been removed from the tree as with the jaws of the device together there is little likelihood of the ornament slipping from the holder especially if just lying idle in a container.

One of the important features of the invention is that it obviates the use of string or ribbon for hanging ornaments which at best is a cumbersome method and which is the cause of falling of the ornaments and consequent breakage thereof. Another feature is that the device can be readily manufactured to any given size to accommodate various sizes and weights of ornaments. Moreover, the holder can lend itself to the attractiveness of the display since it can be formed of a bright metal or it may be painted in attractive colors. Further, should it be considered adviseable, the holder can be made relatively small and painted a somewhat dull color in order to lessen its visibility so as not to detract from the attractiveness of the ornaments which are supported thereby.

I claim:

1. An ornament holder for hanging ornaments from the twigs of a Christmas tree, said holder consisting of a length of wire turned upon itself to provide a spring coil, a pair of angular members extending from said coil, a pair of substantially straight clamping members extending from 7 said angular members in alignment with said coil, and a depending loop in one of said clamping members intermediate its end and said angular members for holding an ornament in a freely hanging position below the twig of a tree to which said clamping members are adapted to be clamped.

2. An ornament holder for hanging one or more ornaments from the twig of a Christmas tree or the like, said holder comprising a length of wire turned upon itself to provide a spring coil, a loop extending in one direction and depending from said coil and adapted to hold an ornament therein, a pair of angular members extending from said coil-in a direction opposite to the direction in which said loop extends, a pair of substantially straight clamping members extending from said angular members in alignment with said coil, and a depending loop in one of said clamping members intermediate its end and said angular members for holding an ornament in a freely hanging position below the twig of a tree to which the clamping members are adapted to be clamped.

JERITA BLAIR HEAD. 

